Strip It Down
by MissA79
Summary: Damon's memory of Elena was taken away, and everyone's trying to save him even if he doesn't want to be saved. Or does he? (Alternate take on Season 8)
1. Chapter 1

I haven't written anything in a long time, but I don't like how they are destroying Damon and his relationship with everyone, especially Stefan and Elena. I hope you enjoy it!

I've got a head start on the next chapter, so it shouldn't be too long before it's posted! (The other chapters will be longer!) Let me know what you think!

* * *

" _Damon."_

" _Damon."_

" _Damon!"_

He jerks awake. He's alone, and covered in sweat like he's nine years old again woken by some nightmare. Except that he hasn't had a nightmare in over a hundred years, he _is_ the nightmare. Sure, he's got regrets, but none that plague his dreams, not like this one. He can still hear the voice from his dream as clear as if she was right next to him. At first he thought it was his mother, but this voice wasn't tainted or tortured. It almost sounds like Katherine, but this voice was desperate and he could feel the love radiating from it. Katherine had neither of those traits, and she would never call out to him for help. That was reserved for only Stefan. He looks around and he's surrounded by nothing but empty bottles of bourbon and death. Bodies hanging everywhere. Silence fills the room. Not a single soul for as far as his supernatural hearing can hear.

He picks up the only bottle with bourbon still in it and chugs that last remnants of it. The burn feels good. It makes him not feel empty. He's surprised at this thought. He's never much cared about feeling empty inside before. He's never cared much at all about anything. But in this moment he feels like a part of him is missing.

He leans back against the wall and tries to place this familiar voice, one that he's sure he's never heard in his life, but strangely feels like coming home after a long time. A part of him wants to get up and find Enzo because he shouldn't be bothered to care this much, but instead he closes his eyes and tries to hear her again, tries to see her. He's wracking his brain, going through memory after memory of his long life but she's not there. He doesn't even know who she is. She could be anyone. All he can see is a blurry image, and she's surround by white light. No matter how close he tries to get to her she gets further away.

" _Damon."_

 _She's crying out for him and he can't speak. Not that he doesn't have anything to say because he feels like she's the confessional he needs and he has no idea why. He just can't get to her. He's desperate and he doesn't do desperate. Especially for someone who possibly doesn't exist._

 _"Damon please!"_

His eyes fly open and they scan the room, before he knows it he's on his feet pulling body after body off the hooks he so neatly placed them on to make sure they were dead. He's searching for any life that he can blame the mystery voice on. This time he wasn't asleep and her voice was filled with pain. Not just pain but anguish. He knows he's got two choices. He can figure out why he's hearing her or he can ignore it. He thinks that maybe this is his karma, he's being haunted and who ever the voice belonged to wanted to make him go mad. That much he knew he deserved.

"What in the bloody hell happened here?"

"Enzo?"

"Who else? Ah…you were expecting Sybil."

He has to think who Sybil is for a minute and with Enzo looking at him like he's grown another head he realizes how confused he must look. Because for some unknown reason nothing at all makes sense. He knows why he's here and what he's doing but it doesn't feel right. And that's how he's absolutely positive something is wrong because Damon Salvatore doesn't do right. But right know he has he has to do what he does best and deflect before Enzo starts asking questions. Questions he himself doesn't have answers for.

"Sybil, right, never know when she'll pop up."

"You okay there mate?"

"Yeah, walking on water."

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Not lately."

"Good thing for us."

"Too much blood and bourbon is all. Let's get the hell out of dodge before my savior of a brother finds us."

"He's never going to stop Damon."

"Then we'll make him."

"Really? How do you plan on that? We have one option Damon."

"Stefan lives, got it? If one strand of hero hair is harmed on his head so help me." He's got Enzo by the collar and no clue as to why he's so furious. He's wanted his brother dead numerous time, and it almost came down to it a few more than he'd like to admit, but deep down something in him knows that he has to make sure Stefan survives.

"Relax! I'm not going to kill him, but she might."

"Not if she wants this done. Now lets go."

Once he's left Enzo go he grabs his leather jacket off of the floor and makes his way to his car. All he knows is he needs to get as far away from this place as possible. He waits for Enzo to climb into the passenger seat before taking off like he's running from everything he can't face. Everything he doesn't want to face.


	2. Chapter 2

Being in Mystic Falls was equal to what burning in hell would feel like, that much Stefan was sure of.

Ever since he had come back to this town he couldn't seem to keep bad things at bay. Every day was another disaster, another problem, another suffering and he was failing at making it remotely better. Every step forward was ten steps back, and some how they had managed to survive it all. But this time he was losing his brother, probably for good if he couldn't come up with something fast. Even when Damon was dying he had never felt this helpless, he knew there had to be a cure, somewhere. Being as close and easy to obtain had just been one hell of a lucky break, even if he lost himself for a little it had been worth it. Damon had always been worth it, he had just forgot it for awhile.

Damon had been off the rails before, but never the way he was now. Back then Damon just didn't give a shit about him, now it was ruining the lives of everyone that cared about him. And when Elena woke up, there would be nothing but bad news for her to read, to see. There would be a devastated Caroline, she would have just lost Bonnie, Matt and Ric would be gone, because the facts were simple, Damon will most likely kill off all of their friends by then. Elena was going to wake up to a monster, a monster that wouldn't even recognize her. The toll this was taking on everyone was becoming too much, after everything else they had been through they were all beginning to lose hope.

Just when he had thought he was getting his brother back life threw another curve ball at them. Saving the day wasn't his department, no matter how much Damon had proclaimed that Stefan was the hero, he knew all Damon was doing was passing the credit onto him. Damon was the real hero. He was the one with the plans, the solutions, and then about ten backups just in case, which was always in their case. He remembers when Damon had told him that he'd be the bad guy, the guy to keep Elena alive, and Stefan counted on that no matter how much he refused to admit it out loud. Damon was better at letting everyone expect the worst from him and then letting them all hate him for making the tough calls. The tough calls that usually turned out to be the right calls. Damon never cared to live up to anyone's expectations, he did what he thought was right and screw the consequences. And what Damon thought was right normally saved his sorry ass, and not to mention Elena's and usually everyone else too.

What they needed was Elena back. They needed her now, not in fifty years from now. Elena was the key to somehow reaching Damon. And how the hell they were going to do that he had no clue. He needed to find Valerie. If anyone would be able to pull off a spell like that it would be her, and with Bonnie's help it had to work. He just had to get her on board with his plan. So he pulls himself out of his thoughts, gets out of his car and makes his way up to her dorm room. He tries to muster up any amount of confidence he could find as he knocks on her door.

"Bonnie, can we talk?"

"Sure. Come on in." Bonnie tells him as she hands him a book. "I found some of Grams old spell books, I'm going to see if there is anything in here we can use to reverse the spell Sybil put on Damon. It's worth a shot taking a look, right?"

"I need to save him Bonnie."

"I know Stefan. I have an idea what I'm going to do about Enzo too." She gives him a sad smile and he wants to think that she'll understand because he needs her to so he says screw it and dives right in. Because isn't that what Damon would do?

"I don't think you get it. My whole human life I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be his best friend. My father was a terrible father to both of us, but he was worse to Damon. And he was worse to Damon because he couldn't break him no matter how hard he tried. Damon never let me get into trouble, he was always taking the blame, he was always talking back, admitting to thinks he didn't even do to take the heat off of me. He taught me everything I knew, and then he left to fight in the war. It made me admire him even more. So when I forced Damon to transition it was because I was selfish, I needed him to survive so I could survive. No matter how much Damon hated me, he'd never let me die. So I can't let this be his life. I need to get Elena back."

Bonnie studies him with something mixed between sympathy and disgust for a minute before speaking up.

"So you came here because you want me to die?"

"No. I'd never ask you to do that. I came here because I need you to find Valerie."

"Can't you just call her?"

"She must have ditched her phone, I've already tried numerous times. I need her to help us find a way to unlink you and Elena."

"I already searched for one Stefan. I couldn't find anything."

"That doesn't mean there isn't one. You saw what Valerie is capable of. She's been around for a long time. If there was a spell to put the curse on Elena there has got to be one to undo it. And if you won't help I'm going to New Orleans to Klaus, he knows powerful witches. I can't let this go, there has to be a way."

"I'll do the locator spell. But answer me one question. If we get Elena back, how does that help Damon? He doesn't even remember her."

"I know he doesn't. Maybe I'm hoping for a miracle. I'd say each of us are due for our own personal miracle at some point, don't you think? You didn't see his eyes, when I told him Elena would never want this he looked at me like he was fighting some kind of internal battle. I think she's still in his head somewhere Bonnie, and if she was here I know it would make a difference."

"Alright lets do this." As Bonnie begins to chant the pendant moves closer and closer to Virginia and lands on Mystic Falls.

"If she was in Mystic Falls don't you think we would know it?"

"Maybe she doesn't want anyone to know."

"I have an idea of where she is. Thank you Bonnie."

* * *

He can't help but watch her for a minute, she really was beautiful. And as innocent as she looked she was twice as deadly. He wanted nothing but the best for her, he wished she could find the happiness and peace that she'd been longing for for so long.

"Are you done being a stalker?"

"Sorry. You looked so content, I hated to interrupt."

"I'm sure."

"I knew I'd find you here."

"I knew you'd find me here." She tells him mirthlessly and he hopes one day he'll be able to stop hurting the people he loves and cares about.

"When did you get back?"

"A few hours ago, I felt homesick, and then I realized I didn't even have a home to go home to. So I just came to Lily."

"I'm so sorry Valerie."

"I know you are. Why did you want to find me Stefan?"

"I need your help with a spell."

"And what makes you think I'd help you?"

"Because you're good Valerie. You want to be good, and you deserve good. I never meant to hurt you, but we just weren't meant to be. Both chances we were given were never enough, and I'm sorry about that but we can't change it. As a friend I'm asking for your help. I need you to help me. Please?"


	3. Chapter 3

"So tell me mate, what is going on in that head of yours?"

"Why are you so damn nosey? It's really quite irritating."

"I'm just trying to figure out what's goin on with you."

"Why is that? Everyone is either trying to save me, find some type redeeming quality, or they are trying to get into my head. And the best one? Ha! Brace yourself for it. They are begging me to save them! Well guess what? I don't care about any of it. Why can't everyone just leave me the hell alone?"

"Who is begging you to save them?"

Damon realizes his mistake only when Enzo asks him that loaded question. That same question has been on his mind since he heard her pleading to him. But really, he's not completely sure she's begging to be saved or even real. The "Please Damon!" sure makes it sound like she needs him to save her, or at the very least needs something from him because her voice desperate. Damon Salvatore doesn't do saving. That quality hasn't been in him in a long time. So what he needs to figure out is why. He hasn't been able to shake her voice since that night he first heard it over a week ago. He sees her in his dreams almost every night. She's surrounded by this white light, he can never make out her face, but he can see her brown hair blowing around her face. He's not dumb enough to think he's got a guardian angel, but that sure as hell is what she feels like. Her presence comforts him in ways he didn't know he needed, in ways he didn't think he deserved.

"Damon! Where did you go there?"

"No where. I'm just tired of answering stupid questions."

"Look mate, I know you. We were trapped together in those cells for a long time. I've seen you disappear in you mind, trying to distract yourself and that's exactly what your doing, disappearing in your head somewhere. So why don't you just tell me what you need to be distracted from?"

"Everything! Did I ask for help? No. I want all of you to get lost. Take a beat for crying out loud. You all want something from me. Want me to do something. How about I do what ever the hell I please? How does that sound? Huh? Good? Good. Now leave. Don't follow me Enzo. I'm done with this. All of it."

"You don't mean that."

"Like hell I don't."

"You can't just leave me here alone."

"We aren't in those cells anymore Enzo. We are free. You are free. It's time for you to let the past go and move on before it eats you alive."

"Where are you going?"

"Anywhere but here. I mean it too, don't follow me." He can see the disappointment on Enzo's face but he can't find it in him to care.

* * *

She'd been here, trapped in her head for days, weeks, months. Could be years. She can't tell. Time means nothing anymore. She misses her life, her friends, her brother. But more than anything she misses Damon. She dreams the same dreams, relives the same nightmares. Everything is always on repeat. Except lately, everything she dreams about is Damon. Not good dreams like she's wished for. Dreams of Damon self destructing. Damon angry, he's always so filled with anger. She wishes she knew what made him that way again. But most of all Damon is alone. She hates that the most. She can see him loathing himself more and more with each day that passes, and all she wants to do is reach out and touch him but she can't. All she can do is watch. Watch and plead a silent prayer that no one will hear. Especially not Damon.

* * *

"Damon." He's laying on some back road, not a car in hearing distance when he hears her voice again. He opens his eyes to a pitch black sky and answers.

"I'm here."

"Please."

"What do you want from me? Who are you? What are you?"

"Damon..."

"Just stop! I want answers or I want you to get lost."

He sits up and he sees her not too far in front of him, her hand reaching out for him and before he knows what he's doing he's getting up and reaching his hand to grasp hers. And when their fingertips touch he feels the electricity between them. The light she's surrounded by is blocking her face, but she's real and he lets out a breath of relief. Relief because for some unknown reason he needed her to be real.

"You know me."

"Don't you think if I knew who you were I'd be asking?"

"Feel me Damon." She places his hand over her heart, as she presses her own to his. He's trying to look at her, past the light but it's blinding him, forcing him to look away. "I need you to feel me Damon. Tell me what you feel."

"I know you." He can't explain it. Her touch feels healing. He's felt her touch before. He can't place when or where, but he feels like he misses it. He never wants it to go away, yet he knows she can't stay. She never stays.

"Yes. You know me. I'm in your heart, in your blood just like your in mine."

"I feel like I've hurt you, haven't I?"

"Yes."

"I don't do apologies, but I am sorry."

"I know. If it helps, you've saved me so many more times than you've hurt me."

"Is that really what you're going to go with?" He gives her his signature smirk and he just knows she's smiling too.

"Damon, you have to stop, this isn't you anymore. Go home to our friends." He looks down to her hand that's still resting over his heart, she's talking like she's known him for years, like they were a part of each others life. What she's saying doesn't make sense.

"I don't have a home."

"Yes, you do. It's with your brother, and our friends. Bonnie and Alaric, your best friends."

"How do you know all this?"

"I already told you. I know you Damon, the real you. Not this version of you that you don't want to be. I see it in your eyes. They've always told me everything I needed to know from you."

"What does that even mean?"

" It means...I'm sorry I have to go."

"You can't leave."

"I don't have a choice. I don't even know how I did this, but I'm really tired now."

She's gone before he can utter another word. He places his hand over his heart where hers had just vanished from, and he knows he's missing something. Something big, and he wants answers. He wants her.

* * *

Stefan's called a meeting of Damon's Scooby gang. He explained to all of them what he was trying to do, and Caroline the ever supportive fiancé made a few calls to get everyone together while he had went to see Valerie. Ric, Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, all seated in the boarding house waiting for her to come. Waiting for Valerie to show up, Elena to come back to them. Waiting to bring Damon back to them to destroy Cade.

"Valerie is going to do it, but the spell calls for a vile of need human blood. That's the only thing we need to get before she gets here."

"Use my blood."

"No, Matt, we don't know if there's any consequences to it."

"It doesn't matter. I want Elena back just as much as all of you, and I owe Damon."

"What could you possibly owe Damon?" Caroline's quick to ask the question they all want to know the answer to.

"Back at the Original Ball, Kol tried to kill me and Damon saved me. For no reason, no one was around. No Elena to impress, he could have just walked away but he didn't. He chose to stay and save my life. And I can't help but wonder if that's why Damon is the way he is. No one ever gives him any credit. Well, except Elena of course."

"Damon is sooo going to owe us all big time after we get him back." Caroline adds and Stefan wants to disagree but Bonnie beats him to it.

"We owe him just the same for saving our sorry asses plenty of times."

He can't help but smile at how far everyone had come. To see Bonnie and Damon as such good friends still is strange to him, but he gets it. They've been through things together that only way they survived was together. For all the bad that Damon had done it had done something even better to trump it. He had saved each and everyone of their lives at least once, and now they were finally going to give him the only repayment that he would ever want. Elena.


End file.
